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Dr Merlin Thomas

Merlin Thomas is a physician and a scientist. His research laboratory is at the JDRF/ Danielle Alberti Memorial Centre for the study of Diabetes Complications at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne.View Bio

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As we age, we don’t necessarily lose our sexual desires. On average, older people have sex as often as younger people, yet while age is no obstacle to good sex, it does impact significantly on our sexual functions.

Women might take longer to attain the vaginal lubrication needed to make sexual intercourse comfortable and set the stage for climax, and their orgasms may decrease in number and intensity. Men can take longer to obtain and maintain erections sufficient to enable satisfactory sexual intercourse.

Our decline in sexual function need not be a barrier to sexual enjoyment, provided our specific needs are recognized and met (with lubricants, topical creams and sufficient stimulation or foreplay, etc). Here we outline foods and herbs that might help to grease the wheels of progress toward enjoying a healthy sex life as we age.

Aphrodisiac foods:

Dark chocolate

Artichokes and asparagus

Mussels and oysters

Strawberries

Truffles

Tomatoes

Rocket (may be just the name?!)

Aphrodisiac herbs and roots:

Aphrodisiac

For men, women, or both

How it is supposed to work

Extract of Yohimbe Bark,
Yohimbine

For men

This is prescribed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Some users also report a cumulative improvement in their sexual function and libido over time. Low dose preparations of yohimbe bark are also available over-the-counter, but should be used with caution as many contain toxic alkaloids besides yohimbine. Side-effects can include rapid pulse, sweating and panic reactions in some people.

Nettle Root

For both sexes

Extracts of nettle root can boost active testosterone levels in both men and women.

Asian Ginseng
(Panax)

For both sexes

This can increase sexual performance and libido, as well as reduce stress. This effect is not seen with American or Siberian Ginseng.

Withania

For men

This Indian herb can maintain vitality and improve sexual performance in older men.

Ginkgo

For men

This can have a positive effect on sexual function and erectile dysfunction in men.

Horny Goat Weed

For both sexes

This traditional Chinese herb that boosts sexual performance, possibly by modifying hormonal signalling. In the long-term, these may have some negative effects in men, such as breast enlargement.

Tribulus Terrestris

For both sexes

Supplements containing Tribulus Terrestris (also known as Yellow Vine, Caltrop or Goathead) are widely used to increase libido. It probably acts by increasing active testosterone levels, but may also have direct effects on erectile function.

Arginine

For men

This may improve erectile function by increasing blood flow to the stimulated penis in much in the same way as Viagra does, although its actions are less selective.

Sex is a major part of our lives that must be nurtured as we grow older. Those of us hoping to improve our sex lives can adopt a number of short-term approaches. Although many are effective temporarily, they are rarely slow solutions. There are, however, various ‘slow’ and simple principles that we can adopt to improve our sex lives and, ...

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What is Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)?
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is one of the most plentiful steroid hormones in the body. It has a range of important effects on our health.
The side effects of DHEA supplements do not appear noticeable in everyone. However, if they occur they are generally dose-related and mild, such as oilier-than-normal hair and skin, acne, hair loss and increased facial hair ...

What happens to testosterone in both men and women as we age?
In both men and women, blood levels of the major male sex hormones (called androgens) decline by about one per cent a year, from our mid-thirties. This decline is called the andropause.
Many of the symptoms of low testosterone levels are non-specific, and are often readily attributed to aging or ...